1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an optical waveguide terminating sleeve usable for optical waveguide connectors, as well as to an optical waveguide connector for coupling optical waveguides with each other and for coupling optical waveguides with optical or optoelectronic components. The term "optical waveguide" will be abbreviated in the following by "OWG".
2. Description of the Prior Art
Just as with electrical conductors, there is a need, also with respect to OWGs, for inexpensive, functionally reliable connectors which can be used either for coupling OWGs with each other by holding the ends thereof to be coupled in closely confronting relationship to each other or which can be used for coupling OWGs with light emitting or light receiving optical or optoelectronic components by holding the ends of the OWGs in closely confronting relationship to the optically transmitting or receiving areas of optoelectronic components.
In order to keep light transmission losses in pluggable connections for OWGs as low as possible, care must be taken that the OWGs to be coupled are as exactly as possible centered with respect to each other or with respect to the optoelectronic components, respectively, and that the areas to be optically coupled are held as parallel and close to each other as possible. Due to the small diameter of usual OWGs, very high accuracy of the mutual radial positioning of the OWGs to be coupled to a pluggable connection is necessary. In using conventional technologies for OWG connections, it turns out almost impossible, in particular for connectors having a plurality of OWGs, to ensure this exact radial and axial positioning.
To overcome this problem, the prior German Patent Applications P 41 06 594.8 and P 41 41 009.2 have suggested terminating devices each comprising a sleeve-like terminating member--referred to as "terminating sleeve" herein--which is provided with a through-opening having an OWG length or section firmly disposed in its one end, with an end portion of the OWG to be terminated being insertable into the other end thereof substantially up to said OWG section. The disclosure contents of the aforementioned prior applications is incorporated herein by making reference thereto.
Preferably both the OWG section and the OWG to be terminated consist of optically highly transparent plastics material, for instance acrylic glass. The terminating sleeve usually consists of optically non-transparent plastics materials. The subject matters of the aforementioned prior patent applications thus require an assembling operation in which the optically non-transparent terminating sleeve is provided with an OWG section establishing the optical interface both to the OWG to be terminated and to the complementary section of the pluggable connection. In particular in the light of mass production of such pluggable connections, there is a need to further simplify the manufacture and assembly of such pluggable connectors.